


The Only Good Scene in Paradise Syndrome

by Coolartist1110



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: But this fic is good! Hopefully., Episode: s03e03 Paradise Syndrome, Gen, There's a small hint of Spirkiness, This episode is bad, but it's about as much as a normal TOS episode has
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:22:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26666641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coolartist1110/pseuds/Coolartist1110
Summary: We all know Paradise Syndrome is absolute garbage. The thing is, there IS a mind meld scene between Kirk and Spock in the episode that often gets overlooked BECAUSE THE EPISODE IS FILLED WITH STEREOTYPES ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS THAT ARE NOT OK AND NEVER WILL BE OK.I decided to separate the scene into this piece, so then I can enjoy the scene without attaching it to the trash heap of an episode it came from. The village and Miramanee are MENTIONED, but that's about it. This is focused entirely on the mind meld scene.
Relationships: Crew of the Starship Enterprise & James T. Kirk, James T. Kirk & Leonard "Bones" McCoy, James T. Kirk & Leonard "Bones" McCoy & Spock, James T. Kirk & Spock, Leonard "Bones" McCoy & Spock
Comments: 5
Kudos: 10





	The Only Good Scene in Paradise Syndrome

“Does he recognize us?”

The man laying on the ground, who believed himself to be named Kirok, almost wanted to say yes. The 3 figures above him, looking at him with concern, were all so familiar. It was like he could remember who they were for just an instant, but then he would forget again. They all wore similar clothes to what he wore when he first woke up. Did that mean they came from the same place as him?

“His brain is unimpaired. Everything else is functioning normally except his memory,” one of the 2 men said. 

“Kirok” knew this person was right. His memory _wasn’t_ functioning, but everything else was working fine. As far as he knew, anyway. How could this man figure that out so fast? 

“Can you help him?” asked the man with pointed ears. For some reason, his face was the one “Kirok” felt he was closest to recognizing. Well, with such a unique appearance, it‘d make sense he’d remember that.

“I’d need time.”

“Time, Doctor McCoy, is the one thing we do not have in abundance.”

_McCoy?_

Something about that name was familiar. Where had he heard it before?

The pointy-eared one took out a strange device. Much like the man himself, this device also looked somewhat familiar.

“Spock here.”

_Spock...I know that name too. Where are these names coming from?_

“Tracking report, sir. 65 minutes to end of safety margin,” a voice reported through the device. Somehow it didn’t surprise “Kirok” to hear a voice come out of the small machine. You aren’t surprised to see light coming out of a lamp; that’s its purpose. “Kirok” just KNEW that the purpose of the small black-and-gold device was to hear voices. 

“Report noted,” the man called Spock replied with an almost irritated tone. He closed the device and looked toward the one called Doctor McCoy. 

“Doctor, is he strong enough for the Vulcan mind fusion?”

Another familiar term. “Vulcan.” “Kirok’s” mind associated with Spock’s face. Why it did so, he couldn’t say.

“We have no choice.”

“Kirok” closed his eyes, trying to focus on the bits of memory returning to him. He could hear Spock changing his position. Suddenly, he felt 2 hands touching his face. His instinct was to flinch, but he didn’t...perhaps he couldn’t. He could feel something inside his mind that wasn’t his. Something that didn’t belong, trying to probe his thoughts and get in. 

“I...am Spock.”

He unintentionally focused on those words, as if they were guiding him, leading him into a trance. He had to resist.

“You are James...Kirk. Our minds...are moving closer.”

The unknown presence grew stronger, slowly creeping its way into “Kirok’s” mind. He knew who he was! He wouldn’t let this “Spock” tell him he’s some “James Kirk!”

“Closer...closer...”

More and more of his mind was being invaded. He had to fight. He just HAD to.

“Closer, James Kirk...Closer...”

With all of his willpower, all he managed to call out was a desperate “No!”

“James Kirk...”

He had to remember who he was fighting for. His wife! His child!

“Miramanee!” he cried, almost as a plea for this invasion to stop. “No...Miramanee!”

“Our minds...are one.”

Just like that, “Kirok” couldn’t fight anymore. Everything he thought, saw, or felt was shared with the other presence. Even in this false euphoria, “Kirok” tried to maintain individuality.

“I...am...”

Spock tried to reach his captain. He had to remind Jim who he was. The half-Vulcan shared his memories of The Enterprise and the Senior Staff. Instead of accepting the memories, the captain’s mind tried to override them with memories of Miramanee and his time in the village.

“Kirok,” both Spock and “Kirok” said in unison. They continued together, “I...am...Kirok...”

Being more experienced with mind melding than Kirk, Spock was able to break out of this loop of a statement. He continued to show more and more of memories Kirk should find familiar. The countless adventures the crew went on together, the quiet moments between all of them as friends, the arguments between Spock and McCoy that Jim always seemed to find amusing. The real James Kirk was starting to emerge.

“I am K...”

Spock couldn’t finish his sentence. While the real Captain desperately tried to break free, “Kirok” held him back.

“I! I’M KIROK! I’M-“

“SPOCK!” McCoy shouted.

Spock ended the meld right then and there. He had melded with Kirk before, normally out of necessity, and he had always welcomed Spock in with little to no resistance. Now, against the full force of the Captain’s mind, he was awestruck at how powerful a human's will could be.

“What is it?!” McCoy demanded to know.

“His mind...he is...a very dynamic individual.” 

Kirk opened his eyes. This time, he recognized the figures above him. Nurse Christine Chapel, a kind woman and stellar nurse. Doctor Leonard McCoy, whom he called Bones, his CMO and dear friend. And, of course, Spock, his half-human second in command, whom he also cared for dearly. 

It took him a moment to take in what had just happened. He looked back on the “mental invasion” he had been fighting off, and realized it was just Spock trying to help him. Even as Kirk attacked, Spock still did all he could to return Jim to his former self. For the millionth time, the thought “I don’t deserve such a good friend” passed through the Captain’s mind. 

Kirk sat up. His friends looked at him expectantly. Bones and Nurse Chapel looked more hopeful than Spock did. He couldn’t take the time to reassure them in a more personal manner, but he had to make sure they knew.

“It worked.”

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone wants me to take this down solely because of the nature of the episode it's based on, I will do so immediately. I hope this was at least a decent piece of writing regardless. I actually wrote with like, normal quotation marks 'n stuff for once!


End file.
